Events In Ukraine Show Need For A New American "Reset"

The ongoing events in Ukraine demonstrate to the world the Ukrainian people’s desire for a better future. The United States and its allies have an obligation to stand with the Ukrainian people as they attempt to forge that future for their country, in spite of Russian attempts to thwart them. In doing so, we have the opportunity to renew our commitment to democracy in Europe and around the world, and revitalize American leadership on the global stage.

While Ukraine’s fight for greater integration with the West and more transparency and democracy within society are inspiring, it will take more than idealism to translate the momentum and excitement from recent events into sustainable long-term reform. American and international support must not fade as the headlines do. We have seen what happens when the United States does not stand by its friends in Europe.

Over the last two decades, pro-democracy movements swept away corrupt and authoritarian regimes in Central and Eastern Europe and replaced them with pro-Western, democratic governments. We have a long history of supporting these efforts through active engagement in the region ranging from trade agreements to robust NATO enlargement. As U.S. Trade Representative, I worked on some of these initiatives, including a Bilateral Market Access Agreement with Ukraine, which paved the way for Ukraine to join the World Trade Organization. However, we failed to sustain many of these efforts, and in the absence of American attention and leadership, Russia has been able to roll back many of the gains made by Ukrainians over the past decade in hopes of re-creating their old sphere of influence from the Soviet era.

Implementing structural change takes time and requires sustained commitment from all parties. There are three major challenges that we must help Ukraine address: 1) their dire financial situation, 2) the structure and stability of the new Ukrainian government, and 3) the subversive role of outside actors. On the economic front, I was pleased to see the Administration pledge $1 billion in loan guarantees in addition to the $15 billion pledged by the European Union. Congress must move swiftly to support this commitment. We must continue to work with the EU and the IMFIMF to develop additional assistance packages as needed to help the provisional government manage the rapid changes occurring in the country. We also must help Ukraine make the difficult but necessary long-term structural reforms required to modernize their economy and promote economic freedom. Strengthened trade relations with the West can incentivize and stimulate these policies, while also working to reduce Ukraine’s economic vulnerabilities.

In conjunction with our European allies, we must help the transitional government to build a democratic, inclusive, and transparent government that represents all Ukrainians, regardless of ethnicity or language. In the coming months, maintaining unity among the different factions that came together during the protests will be absolutely crucial to avoiding the internal divisions and infighting that destabilized the country and previously crippled reform efforts following the Orange Revolution. Active Western support can help sustain this effort to forge a governing coalition stable and effective enough to implement much-needed reforms.

Previous pro-Western, democratic movements in Ukraine and other former Soviet states have in some cases faltered because of interference from outside actors, particularly Russia. The United States and its allies must not allow this to happen again. President Putin views the advancement of democracy in his neighborhood as a direct threat to Russian interests. Russia can and should be a part of the reform process, especially given the close economic and cultural ties between the two countries. However, the Russian invasion of Crimea and its propaganda campaign against the new government are completely unacceptable, and have jeopardized its role as a constructive party moving forward. Russia cannot be allowed to dictate Ukraine’s future and the United States and its allies must stand up to their threats and intimidation. This should include imposing sanctions on Russian officials, suspending trade and investment agreements, expelling Russia from the G8, and, if necessary, taking other steps directly targeting Russia to ensure that Putin and his cronies feel the consequences of their unwarranted aggression.

Standing up to Russian aggression and supporting our friends will require sustained American leadership. The events in Ukraine offer an opportunity for a new “reset,” one that renews our commitment to our allies in Europe and empowers those committed to political and economic freedom. We must be willing to use all tools of national power to strengthen the transatlantic relationship and emphatically respond to those who say that America’s time has passed and that it cannot be counted on to support its friends. We should double down on efforts to expand mutually beneficial trade and commercial ties with newly democratic states struggling to maintain their economic independence. In addition, we must take steps to secure Europe’s energy independence by moving forward with U.S. liquefied natural gas exports and renewing our commitment to constructing energy pipelines that bypass Russia.

Likewise, a renewed commitment to NATO will provide guidance and leadership to an organization adapting to a post-Afghanistan environment and strengthen the cohesiveness and capabilities of our closest allies, allowing them to help share the burden of collective defense. Increased training exercises with our NATO allies will improve interoperability between our forces and reassure them of our commitment. In addition, we should ensure that NATO’s doors remain open to all who qualify for membership; NATO should stand with countries that choose a democratic path and whose forces serve alongside NATO troops in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

There are some who argue that America has its own problems and that after over a decade of war, it is time to turn inward. While we certainly need to focus on addressing our own challenges, we cannot simply ignore what is happening around the world. If you want to see what a world without active American engagement looks like, look no further than the unstable international landscape confronting us today. From chaos in Syria to rising tensions in the East China Sea to Russian intimidation and coercion in Europe, the world is less stable—and Americans are less safe—when the United States is perceived as a weary nation, unwilling to support our friends or confront our enemies. Today’s problems become tomorrow’s crises if we fail to act.

It is not in our nature as Americans to stand by as chaos and repression threaten freedom and stability. We cannot stand by today and let Russia dictate the future of the Ukrainian people.

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